Dreamin'

I wanted to ride today & would have ridden with someone - if anyone - had wanted to ride with me.  But since I'd been wanting to get out from home all week - today looked perfect.  I love what trails we have left, especially so - when the landscape is coming alive with buds & blooms!  The birds were singing & flirting between the trees :-)  I must have been Dreamin'  though - since after the last big wind storm, I should have realized that the chances of getting to where I wanted to go - were - well, slim... 

The first one was hung up~

 No problem getting past the first one, nicely hung up between two trees.  Farah is still in her non-stop spring cycle - we had a couple discussions by the time we'd reached this point.  I've never seen things so wet & the trails were slippery too. 

Trail to the development gate~

 I didn't plan to go this way anyhow, it would have been jump-able.  Instead we went the usual way that takes us to the power lines.

Not looking good~

 I love this section of trail, we usually trot or gallop it.  Today though - the view was not good...  Farah easily jumped the first smaller one, but the next was huge!

Big Tree~

 Not only wide, but long - the root ball on the far side of the creek & wet area.  The top, hung up on the hillside & continuing up the hill unbroken.  I decided to try to clear enough limbs that it might be possible to take Farah up the hill, maybe find a place to get over the trees, then drop back down.  I'd done a lot of tossing, got up the hill quiet a way - just to realize that the ground was so soft, wet & littered with debris that it just wasn't work the risk.  As I was jumping back down - I slipped & caught myself just before making contact with the sharp end of a broken off limb.  Stupid & getting impaled would not have been fun :-(

Here you can tell there was a gap between the two trees~

 Farah was perfectly happy to be grazing, while I worked!  The grass is always greener don't you know?  I think she could have jumped them, but a mistake might have resulted in a hoof going between the two trees.  Instead, we did the wise thing & turned back.

I finally got bucking rolls last week from Gary Winckler.  Butch installed them & they work great!  No one had the black leather needed for the base of the rolls, but it will darken over time.  I kind of like the little bit of accent. 

Can't identify this one?

 There were many of the above Shrooms, sprouting up all around the area near the Cottonwoods. 

Salmonberry~

 The salmonberry blooms were glistening with rain drops...  The air was so full of negative ions - smelling so fresh, clean & springlike!

What is this?

 I don't care how many things you desensitize a horse to, there's always something :-)  We were coming down the edge of our neighbor's yard, on our little trail, when Farah stopped cold to check out the yellow float.  The wind had blown it from the yard, over to the trail.

Rain over Mt. Pilchuck

The sun was out most of our ride, it felt so warm!  But every now & then, a big dark cloud would roll overhead, the temperature would drop & we were drizzled on more than once.  One of our shorter rides, but the weatherman is promising that next week we'll enjoy days & days of sunshine & warmer temperatures!  Overdue I say!

Blustery~

Someone has time to decorate~

It wasn't a good morning - nothing I do or do not do suits some...  Then - a ride I'd looked forward to was cancelled.  I walked up into the woods & could see Three Fingers as clear as a bell.  Even though the weather report wasn't promising - & the morning was almost gone - I loaded Farah.  Feeling the need to blow off some steam -  I could tell once I was in the saddle - that Farah felt the same - she was trotting before I had my seat!

Fall trails~

 The wind was really blowing & the clouds looked heavy when we left - I put my rain coat on the back of the saddle & since Farah's shoes are ready to fall off, thought we'd just do a loop & call it good.

One of the wetlands~

Then - I got caught up in the ride, the horse, the weather, the wind & we went on & on.  I tried a couple trails that looked like they might go through - but we were soon stopped by the overgrowth.

Another trail to clear - where does it go?

Linda has been talking of doing some fall trail clearing - but she's swamped for the rest of this year.  This might make our list for next.

Here too - the peaks were ultra clear!

The wind didn't let up - at times there were some really good gusts that had the big trees groaning. 

Incredible out here too~

I ate some grapes, Farah did some grazing - but we were both still wanting to move - so move we did.  Farah's shoes managed to stay on - even with some really nice trots & smooth transitions into flying gallops.  We'll see tomorrow if there are any hooves left!

A snack~

Once we left the top of the mountain, the wind actually felt warm!  There was a touch of drizzle in the air - the clouds were getting darker.  We ran into one group of mushroom hunters who'd driven in.

This was a cool looking purple shroom~

I didn't see any edible mushrooms, but did think this one was pretty.  With more rain coming I'm sure we'll see a lot more popping up.

Another old trail~

We tried this trail, it was so pretty, but as it dropped down toward a lowland area, it started getting really boggy & Farah sunk in pretty deep, we decided to turn back.  By now - the rain was looking more imminent.  Farah did her "air-above-the-ground" & we were galloping - hitting just over 26 mph when I started pulling her up.

Our day's end reward~

Her shoes didn't fly off & we were rewarded with this amazing view at almost 4 in the afternoon.  Mt. Rainier looked touched with gold...

It helped - when in life I've needed spiritual or mental relief - I always head outside - as far away in the great outdoors as I can get & there - I find the peace & quiet I crave.

The Shrooms!

The Fog...

Highway 9 heading north - fog.  I left home on a gorgeous sunshine morning - but on the far side of Arlington the fog reappeared.  Joyce & I had planned a ride at Bracken Rd.  I was hopeful that it would burn off.

Mushrooms Everywhere!

We were talking about all the mushrooms I'd seen at Victoria, so Joyce, working on a solid state of one-up-man-ship duty :-) - took me over to where she'd seen a cornucopia of the fungi when riding there last weekend!  The numbers, variety, colors that were growing was almost surreal!  I had to dismount & take a photo - it gave us that "Alice in Wonderland" feeling, especially in the fog.

Perfect growing environment~

Farah really seems to like Target, he prefers her in front of him, as do most of the geldings we ride with :-)   This day she was in a very good mood, a change from earlier in the week - when she was a little ornery.  I had an incredible ride this day!  My mare was on her "A" game, acting like a well trained horse.  When she opened up at the trot - we were flying!  Showing more strength than I was aware she had gained over the summer of miles adding up on top of miles.

Coyote

Right in the center of the photo above, in the left "track" is a Big Coyote!  So big - that he could have been a Wolf.  He was so handsome & made eye contact with us as we stood to admire his looks.  Joyce had her dog with us, but the Coyote didn't show any interest.  As we moved further away, I looked back & watched as he circled then laid down!

Golds in the valley`

The sun finally burned through & the woods were covered in yellow & golds.  By the time we arrived at the river it was a perfect Fall day!

Joyce & Target

We're maintaining our position in the Distance Derby, but with the shorter, darker, colder days to come - will be interesting to see if my motivation continues.  When we have friends to ride with - it's easy, but saddling to ride on our own as often as we do - does get lonely on some days.  I know we're lucky to have all the places to ride that we do, but I've picked up a couple maps & would like to explore to see if I can find somewhere new! 

The sun was nice & warm when we returned home, it was earlier in the afternoon, so I gave Farah a warm bath, which she always enjoys & had her dry before the sun set. 

My first "Hunt" for Morel Mushrooms

My first time "hunting" for Morel Mushrooms!  (Grandson Ben sold $50. of them over the weekend to earn money for a new bike!)  I visited yesterday, drove up in the oh so welcome sunshine, with incredible views of our Washington "Alps" all the way!  Enjoyed playing with the new Granddaughter in the morning, then following Ben as he took me on my first successful expedition searching for the elusive Morels!  I was thrilled to find five, enough for a chicken-pot pie for dinner tonight!